Drive assembly for automobiles



2 Sheets-Sheerl 1 Filed Sept. 19. 1957 Fig./

.In n 0 5 "Q iw :6W Q. M l 2 O o m Q Q n g Q o w (y, .f/ x. w 6 5. 7 4 o 4 5 v 4 0 6 4 m. 4 m E Sian/ey S. Kozub INVENTOR.

Oct. 20, 1959 s. s. KozuB DRIVE lASSEMBLY FOR AUTOMOBILES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed sept. 19. 1957 QQ f mm. .Km \y UnitedStates Patent @ffice z;9'9,zs3 DRIVE AssEMLr` FOR AUTOMOBILESi l stanleys; Kozub, Geneva, ohio v Application September 19,11957,7`Seria1No4. 685,029 yv 'sclaime cl; Iso-73)' invention relates; in general,r to new and. useful improvements inautomobileconstruction and more specifically to-animproved drive assembly'for automobiles.

. InA order tovprovideproper ground'clearance; for'the oil pan. of an-4 automobile, theV engine must be* elevatedv withrtheresult'that the axisloffthecrank. shaft ofthe engine ist aV considerable Y distance above thew groundiV Also, in ordern that; the= normal; differential; of, an; automobile may have proper ground; clearance, the'. axis of the differential; isI at considerable distance' above` the! ground. Further, since it; is', normally desirable. to align the axes of'the, enginef crankshaft and: the; differential; the. transmission anifdrive; shaft of the automobile'A area` disposed in: ar straight;V line; Untilzrecentlfy thisi has not: posed; a problem` 4However,` recently the; trend. of automotiveY designfliasbeenzto lower thevehicle as'. close as possible tol thefground; With the result,`ithas1been necessary to buildinto:` the: door oflthei vehiclef body relatively deep' channel's. or: tunnels;` t'hliesemtunnelsfremaini necessary. ina the: front; part: of lthev vehicle.` because` of thev positiont oft` the: transmission.;Y However; the tunnels: in the real-:part` of: the.: vehicle are requiredon'lybecause of? thefact that thet driveishaftfis soz positioned where it is. Such` a tun neliisverys inconveniently placed: andl4 it not only makes@ itdicultttofmove about innthe rear'seat of' alvehicle, but also'- restrictssthe legfroom1unduly.V

It'. is therefo-rethez prirnarzyyobject` of this invention to provideai'r improved fd'riveassembly'for automobiles, the drive assembly being of such a nature wherebythe centerdrive shaft?` and: the necessity. off at clearance tunnel-i therefor are completely eliminated;

Another objectffof this invention: is to provide an improveddrive.assembly,I for automobiles, the drive assem-v bly being'so.'` constructed whereby'the: drive shaft for the rear' wheels is` replacedby 'two individuali drivel shafts, therebeing: one driveI shaft? for eachiwheel andl the drive shaftbeing mountedzwithn'n the hollow" frame rails of the vehicle;

A furtherfobjectofthis invention i's to provide an improvedidrive; assemblyfon automobiles; thetdrive assemblyfincludngv a differential;whichviszplaced immediately rearwardly,I off the 'transmissioni and under the frontV seat off the?. vehicle;4 the; drive; assemblyalso. including transverse shafts conneetedyto; the: differential and: extending outwardly; therefrom, thereubeingconnectedi to the transverse; shaft longitudinal? dnive shafts; which' are" disposed within the* hollow framerailsof thecframe of the vehicle and which are independently: connectedwto rear axles carriedby at rear ax'lei housing,`4 the assembly being'of such a naturewherebynit may` bezeasily vmodified tocompensatel forA either' straightV frame railsk or. those which'.4 bow in-` wardlywintlievicinityfof thelrearwheels as is the'vcase in some modernvehicles'.

These together Vwith otherobjectsf` and advantagesV which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and yoperation' astmore fullyv hereinafter described andzclaimedgreference beingfh'adto the accom 2,909,233 Patented 'Oct 20,' 1959n panying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals referto like parts throughout, and: yin which:

Figure 1 is a side elevationall view of a sedanV type vehicle incorporating the drive assembly which is the subject of this invention,` portions of the vehicle being broken away and'shown in section;

Figure 2 is an enlarged: fragmentary plant viewof:` thei frame of the vehicle of Figure li and shows the details of ther drive assembly. whichis the subject of this inven tion;

Figure 3: is an enlargedr fragmentary sideelevational View of the frame andA drive assembly of' Figure 2;

Figure 4' is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken substantially uponthe plane indicated by the section line 44 4 of Figure 2 and showsY the details of the driveA assembly in the vicinity ofthe differential;

Figure 5* is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinalsectional; View showing theV details of the' drive assembly in the vicinity ofthe rear axle housing;. and

Figure 6- is a fragmentary topl plan View of a modified form of; frame and' drive` assembly.

Referring now to' the drawings in detail, it will be seen that thereis illustratedin Figure l a sedan type vehicle 1i),` which incorporates the drive assembly which isthe subject'` of this invention. The vehicle 10' includes a frame which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 12, there being mounted'on the frame 12 al body 1*'4. The frame' 12'is supportedby a pairv of front wheels and a* pair of Vrear wheels 18;

Referring now to Figure 2` intparticular, it will be seen that` the frame 12 is of"a conventional construction and` includes a pair of hollow longitudinal frame rails 20. The frame rails 205 are suitably connected together by a rear transverse frame' member 22. Other frame members will, ofl course,. be provided.

Each of the frame rails. 20` is provided withV a pair of longitudinallyl spaced spring hangers 22 between which there extends a' rear springv24. The. rear spring 24 in turn has coupled thereto a` rear axlehousing 26. r[TheA rear axle housing 26 has extending from opposite ends thereof independent rear axles 281which are suitably jour naled in. bearings carried by therear axle housing- 26. Secured.V to each' of the axles 26 for rotation therewith is4 one: ofthe rear wheels 18.

The vehicle 10 includes a. front seatly 32 and a rear seat4 Y 324:, Disposed forwardly of the front seat 32 Within` a tunnel 36 formed in. the floor of the body 14 is a conventionali type of transmissionV 38;

Disposed: rearwardly'of the transmission 38l beneath thevfronttseat 32 isla differential 40. The differential 4t)A will have an internal construction which will be identical with the internal construction of existing rear differentials. The differential 40 includesa housing 42 which is: suitably connected to the transmission 38. The differential` 40'and the transmission 3S'will, of course, he rigidly mounted with respect to the frame 12 in any con-- ventional manner.

Carried by each of the frame rails 20 in alignment with thesdiiferential 40l is a built-in gear boxv 44.' Each ofthe gear boxes 44 includes a transversely extending stub shaft 416A which hasv mounted' thereon a driveA gear 48'. The stub shaft 46 t of each gear box 44 has connected theretoy a drive. shaft Stlby means of a universal joint 54. The dierenti'al140`has extending from opposite sidestthereof` stub shafts 522 which are connected to each transverse drive shaft 50 by means of a universal'S. It is alsoto be understood that' mounted within the housing `42 is a short, shaft which connects. the differential 40. to the transmission 38. t

Positioned in each of the frame rails 20 is a forward section; 58'- of an elongated dnive. shaft. rIhe. forward section 58 is suitably journaled in bearings 60 carried by the frame rail in which it is mounted and it is provided at the forward end thereof with a gear 62 which is meshed with the gear 48.

Each end of the rear axle housing 26 is provided with a gear box which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 64. The gear box 64 has extending therethrough one of the rear axles 28. The rear axle 28 is provided intermediate the ends thereof with a drive gear 66 which has meshed therewith a drive gear `68. The drive gear 68 is carried a stub shaft 70 of the gear box 64.

Connected to the stub shaft 70 by means of a universal 72 is a rear drive shaft section 74. The forward end of the rear drive shaft section 74 is connected to the rear end of the drive shaft section v58 by a universal 76V.

From the foregoing description of the drive assembly of the vehicle 10, it will be seen that the differential 40 and the gear boxes 44, as well as the transverse shafts 50 are positioned under the front seat 32 of the vehicle 10. Thus the space required for these components may be covered by any conventional hump or tunnel in the oorboard of the body 14 and will be in an out-of-theway position, the hump or tunnel being covered by the front seat 32. Since the remainder of the drive shaft sections are disposed Ywithin the frame rails 20, the necessity for a rear tunnel is completely eliminated. This greatly increases the floor `space in the rear part of the vehicle body 14. Inasmuch as the differential 40 is provided, the drive action of the rear wheels 18 will remain the same.

In some instances the frames are much wider than others. A typical wide frame construction is illustrated in Figure 6, the frame being referred to in general by the reference numeral 80. The frame 80 is formed of a pair of longitudinal frame rails 82, only one being shown. The rear portion of each frame rail 82 is inwardly bowed as at 84 to provide clearance for a rear wheel 86. Spring hangers 88 extend inwardly from the frame rail 82 and have extending therebetween a rear spring 90 which supports the frame 80 from a rear axle housing 92.

The rear axle housing 92, like the rear axle housing 26 has mounted therein for rotation an individual rear axle 94. The rear axle 94 is suitably journaled in bearings 96 carried by the rear axle housing 92. The wheel 86 is drivingly connected to the rear axle 94.

Carried by the outer end portion of the rear axle housing 92 at each end thereof is a gear box 98. The gear box 98 is identical with the gear box 64 and a further description thereof is believed to be unnecessary. Connecting the gear box 98 to a forward drive shaft section 100 which corresponds to the drive shaft section 58 is a rear drive shaft section 102. The rear drive shaft section 102 compensates for the offset of the gear box 98 with respect to the forward drive shaft section 102. The rear drive shaft section 102 is connected to the gear box 98 by a universal 104 and to the forward drive shaft section 100 by a universal 106.

It is to be understood that all other components of the drive system for those portions shown in Figure 6 will be identical with those illustrated in Figure 2. Accordingly, further description of these components is not believed to be necessary.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

l. In a vehicle construction including a frame having spaced hollow rails, a drive system, said drive system comprising a transmission, a rear axle housing,'spring means mounting said frame on said rear axle housing,

individual rear axles carried by said rear axle housing for independent rotation, rear wheels secured to said rear axles in driven relation, a l.differential disposed intermediate said transmission and said rear axle housing and fixedly mounted on said frame, a short drive shaft connecting said differential to said transmission, transverse drive shafts extending outwardly from opposite sides of said differential, elongated drive shafts disposed in said frame rails, rst drive means drivingly connecting said elongated drive shafts to said transverse drive shafts, and second drive means drivingly connecting said rear axles to said elongated drive shafts.

2. In a vehicle construction including a frame having spaced hollow rails, a drive system, said drive system comprising a transmission, a rear axle housing, spring means mounting said frame on said rear axle housing, individual rear axles carried by said rear axle housing for independent rotation, rear wheels secured to said rear axles in driven relation, a differential disposed inter-v mediate said transmission and said rear axle housing and xedly mounted on said frame, a short drive shaft connecting said differential to said transmission, transverse drive shafts extending outwardly from opposite sides of said differential, elongated drive shafts disposed in said frame rails, first drive means drivingly connecting said elongated drive shafts to said transverse drive shafts, and second drive means drivingly connecting said rear axles to said elongated drive shafts, said first drive means including gear boxes built into said frame rails.

3. In a vehicle construction including a frame having spaced'hollow rails, a drive system, said drive system comprising a transmission, a rear axle housing, spring means mounting said frame on'said rear axle housing, individual rear axles carried by said rear axle housing for independent rotation, rear wheels secured to said rear axles in driven relation, a differential disposed intermediate said transmission and said rear axle housing and fixedly mounted on said frame, a short drive shaft connecting said differential to said transmission, transverse drive shafts extending outwardly from opposite sides of said differential, elongateddrive shafts disposed in said frame rails, first drive means drivingly connecting said elongated drive shafts to said transverse drive shafts, and second drive means drivingly connecting said rear axles to said elongated drive shafts, said second drive means including individual gear boxes carried by said rear axle housing.

4. In a vehicle construction including a frame having spaced hollow rails, a drive system, said drive system comprising a transmisison, a rear axle housing, spring means mounting said frame on said rear axle housing, individual rear axles carried by said rear axle housing for independent rotation, rear wheels secured to said rear axles in driven relation, a differential disposed intermediate said transmission and said rear axle housing and fixedly mounted on said frame, a short drive' shaft connecting said differential to said transmission, transverse drive shafts extending outwardly from opposite sides of said differential, elongated drive shafts disposed in said frame rails, first drive means drivingly connecting said elongated drive shafts to said transverse drive shafts, and second drive means drivingly connecting said rear axles to said elongated drive shafts, said first drive means includingl gear boxes built into said frame rails, said second drive means including individual gear boxes carried by said rear axle housing.

5..In a vehicle construction including a frame having spaced hollow frame rails, a drive system, said drive system comprising a transmission, a rear axle housing, spring means mounting said frame on said rear axle housing, individual rear axles carried by said rear axle housing for independent rotation, re'ar 'wheels secured to said rear axles in driven relation, a differential disposed intermediate said transmission and said rear axle housing and dly mounted on said frame, a short drive shaft connecting said diiferential to said transmission, transverse drive shafts extending outwardly from opposite sides of said differential, elongated drive shafts disposed in said frame rails, said frame rails being longitudinally curved in plan and said drive shaft corresponding generally in shape to the outline of said frame rails, first drive means drivingly connecting said elongated drive shaft to said transverse drive shafts, and second drive means drivingly connecting said rear axles to said elongated dn've shafts, said irst drive means including gear boxes built into said frame rails, and said second drive means including individual gear boxes carried by said rear axle housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

